Computers often need updates to hardware or software components already resident in the computer, or installation of new hardware or software components. In many cases, software can be installed through a network such as the Internet, and there is no need for a field service technician or other person to travel to the computer and manually install the software. However, in other cases, it is necessary or preferable for manual installation. For example, manual installation of software is necessary or preferable when the amount of software to be installed is very large (compared to the bandwidth of the network), or if the network connection of the computer has failed. Hardware upgrades, such as upgrades to memory, storage or processor, must be done manually.
It was known for a client computer to send its configuration, i.e. processor size and type, memory size, operating system type and version, installed software type and version, installed software applications, serial number, latest network login, and host name, to a service center computer. The service center computer can then determine what updates are recommended and not yet installed in the client computer. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,752,042 and 6,074,434 to Cole. It was also known for an administrator to manually enter the configuration of a client computer at the service center computer when the client computer is issued to the customer. The configuration information assists the service center in determining what hardware or software updates are recommended and not currently resident in the customer's computer.
It is common today for multiple computers to be physically located in the same room. These are sometimes called “server farms” or “call centers.” When the field service technician arrives at the server farm or other collection of computers, it takes some effort by the technician to physically locate the computer to receive a recommended update (software or hardware). Typically, the technician has to check the serial numbers of the computers, which tend to be obscure, and the technician may have to check several computer before locating the target computer. Also, the technician may want to verify that the hardware updates, software updates or new software that the technician was sent to install are appropriate for the target computer. Thus, the technician may query the target computer to verify the current configuration of the computer and compare the current configuration to what is listed on the work order. If the network connection is viable, the technician can also query the service center computer to confirm the software to install. However, this takes some additional effort by the technician.
RFIDs are currently known to store and broadcast identifications of products to which they are attached. It was also known that an RFID could store and broadcast configuration information about a computer to which it was attached. See US Published Patent Application 2005/0198228 A1. It was also known for an RFID reader/writer to dynamically transmit data to an RFID which the RFID will then store and broadcast.
An object of the present invention is to provide a system and method to assist a field service technician in the task of performing recommended hardware and software updates to a computer.